Explosive-engine.



W. STEPHBNSON. EXPLOSIVE ENGINE. APPLIoATIoN FILED SEPT; so, 1909.

1,012,288. Patented 118119,1911.

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WILLIAM STEPHENSON, OF NEWPORT, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO THE FOX REVERSIBLE GASOLINE ENGINE COMPANY, OF NEWPORT, KENTUCKY, A CORPORATION 0F KEN- TUCKY.

EXPLOSIVE-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

I atented Dec. 19, 1911.

Application filed September 80, 1909. Serial No. 520,367.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, l/VILIJAM STEPHEN- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newport, in the county of Campbell and State of Kentucky, have .invented certain new and useful Improvements in Explosive- Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in gas engines, particularly of the two-cycle type.

The object of my invention is to provide an automatic air valve, operating to purge the combustion chamber of the burned gases during the exhaust portion of the piston stroke, and to flush the combustion chamber with fresh air, prior to the admission of the compressed charge. In the engines ot' this type, now commonly used, the compressed charge is drawn into the combustion chamber as the burned gases are exhausted, so that not only some of the compressed charge is wasted in the exhaust, but it is contaminated by the presence of burned gases, thus materially detracting from the efficiency of the engine.

I have shown the improvement as applied to a two-cycle engine.

The features of my invention are more fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in.whieh Figure 1 is a central vertical section,

4through my engine. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view et the air valve. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, showing two cylinders and two valves connected together.

1 represents the cylinder, 2 the crank casing, 3 the piston, 4 the piston rod, 5 the crank shaft, and G the crank pin. The lower portion of the cylinder and crank case, constitute the compression chamber 7, into which the mixed charge from the carburetor is admitted, through the ports 8*', 9, when the piston is moved to the upper end or" its stroke.

10 represents the combustion chamber, in which the explosion occurs, and from which the burned gases are exhausted, through the ports 11, when the piston is in its downward position.

12 represents the orifices, into which the sparking plug is secured, and 13 represents the priming cup.

.141 represents a passage-way, forming a communication between the compression chamber and the combustion chamber. At the upper end ot this passage-way, just adjacent to the lower end ot the combustion chamber is placed the automatic air valve 15. In detail, this air valve comprises a valve cylinder 1G, adjusted by means of flanges 17, to the cylinder casing. At its inner end is a puppet valve disk 1S, having a falve stem 1 9, sliding' in the support 20, its movement being controlled by a coil spring 21. The valve cylinder 1G is provided with a series of peripheral orifices 22.

Q3 represents a cup fitting on the end of the cylinder 16, and formed with a series of peripheral orifices 941, adapted to adjustably register with the orifices 22, so as to regulate the arca-way ot' the air intake orifices. The cup Q3 is provided with an arm Q5, to the outer end ot' which is pivotcd a U-bracket QG, adapted to be clamped upon a rod 27, by means of the screw 28. The arm 25 extends outwardly between the cars 29, in which is screw threaded the set screw 30, for adjusting the range ot movements ot the arm 25.

In Fig. 3, I have shown two cylinders with two valves, having the arms both fixed to a. common adjusting rod 2-Both of them may be simultaneously adjusted to provide the same area oit air intake in both valves.

In operation, the charge of mixed vapor and air .from the carburetor is drawn into the compression chamber 7, and compressed by the downward stroke of the piston. This movement oit the piston permits the burned gases Yfrom the combustion chamber to escape through the exhaust port 11. The piston stroke also automatically operates valve disk 18, so that a charge oi `fresh air rushes into the combustion chamber in advance of the compressed charge, expelling the burned gases and leaving an atmosphere of oxygen in the combustion chamber at the time the fresh charge is admitted, thus serving both to expel the burned gases completely and to enrich the mixture to be exploded, making it more powerful.

The valve disk is operated as soon as the piston closes the upper end of thc port 14, admitting air into the compression chamber, practically during the entire upward movement of the piston. This increases the efficiency of the hydro-carbon vapors through a second mixing, and a greater quantity of vapors are had within the compression chamber. The valve 18 closing upon the opening of fuel inlet port in the complete upward movement of the piston, leaving the passage 111 filled with a charge of pure air, which is forced through the combustion chamber, expelling the burned gases. Owing to the excessive quantity of air taken into the passage and combustion chamber a higher efhciency of mixture is obtained and none lost through the exhaust port in {lushing the combustion chamber. Further in manipulating the cup valve 23, the area of air inlet can be regulated and in consequence a throttling of the engine had at this point. The density of the mixture is more or less affected relative to the amount of fresh air admitted through the passage 14.

In practice, the rod 27 is adjusted to close valve openings 22, and the carbureter is independently regulated to insure the usual mix. The engine is started, and as it warms up the valve openings are gradually opened and adjusted. The engine will instantly vshow increased speed and efficiency, and a slight experience in adjusting the valve openings will soon enable the operator to hit upon the position giving the maximum result.

In my engine, the air valve for expelling the burned gases is entirely independent of the inlet for admitting the mixed charge into the compression chamber. A further advantage of the improvement is, that when several engines are used in a series, the area of each valve air inlet may be independently adjusted to compensate for the individual differences in the efliciency of the separate engines, vso that they constitute units of equal efficiency in their conjoint operation.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In an explosive engine, a compression and combustion chamber, a piston and crank shaft, an inlet for the mixed charge into the compression chamber so located as to be uncovered by the piston at the end of the suction stroke, an independent conduit between said chambers, an air inlet in said conduit for admitting air into the compression chamber on the suction stroke of the piston, and an exhaust port leading from said combustion chamber.

2. In an explosive engine, a compression and combustion chamber, a piston and crank shaft, an inlet for the mixed charge into the compression chamber, so located as to be uncovered at the end of the suction stroke of the piston, a conduit between said chambers, an air inlet in said conduit, a valve controlling said inlet, enabling air to be drawn through said inlet into the compression chamber on the suction stroke of the piston, in advance. and during the intake of a mixed charge, and an exhaust port in the combustion chamber.

3. In an explosive engine, a compression and combustion chamber, a piston and crank shaft, an inlet for the mixed charge into the compression chamber so located as to be uncovered at the end of the suction stroke of the piston, a conduit between said compression and combustion chambers, an air inlet in said conduit, a valve controlling said inlet enabling air to be drawn through said air inlet into the compression chamber on the suction stroke of the piston, in` advance and during the intake of the mixed charge, means for adjusting the area of air inlet of said valve, and an exhaust port in the combustion chamber.

4L. In an explosive engine, a compression and combustion chamber, a piston and crank shaft, an inlet for the mixed charge into the compression chamber so located as to be uncovered at the end of the suction stroke of the piston, a conduit between said chambers for conveying the charge from the compression chamber to the combustion chamber, and air to the compression chamber, an air inlet 'in said conduit, a valve therefor, a rotatable sleeve for adjusting the areaof said air inlet, said valve operative to open the inlet on the suction stroke of the piston to admit air into the compression chamber in advance of the mixed charge.k

5. A series of explosive engines connected in multiple, each having a compression and combustion chamber, and piston, an inlet for the mixed charge into the compression chamber so located as to be uncovered'at the end of the suction stroke .of the piston, a conduit between said chambers, an air inlet'into said conduit for admitting air into the compression chamber, a valve controlling lsaid inlet, means for adjusting the area of air inlet to said valve in combination with mechanism connecting said adjusting means of the series of engines for simultaneously controlling the same.

6. A series of explosive engines connected in multiple, each having a compression and combustion chamber, and piston, an inlet for the mixed charge into the compression chamber so located as to be uncovered at the end of the suction stroke of the piston, a conduit between said chambers, an air inlet into said conduit for admitting airI into the compression chamber, a valve controlling said -inlet, means for independently adjusting the area of air inlet of each engine of the series, in combination with mechanism connecting said adjusting means of the series of engines, for simultaneously controlling the same.

7. In an explosive engine, a compression and combustion chamber, piston and crank shaft, an inlet for the mixed charge into the compression chamber so located as to be unthe piston, a conduit between .said chambers,

an air inlet in said conduit, a valve therefor, for admitting air into the compression chamber on the suction stroke of the piston, and automatically closing said inlet on the power stroke of the piston, and means for throttling the area of air inlet, and an exhaust port leading from said combustion chamber.

8. In an explosive engine, a compression and combustion chamber, an inlet for the mixed charge into the compression chamber, located so as to uncover at the end of the suction stroke of the piston, an air inlet into the compression chamber, and valve therefor, automatically controlled by the movements of the piston, for admitting air into the compression chamber on the suction stroke of the engine in advance of the opening of said mixed charge inlet, and a conduit between said compression and combustion chambers, to convey the mixed charge and air from the compression chamber to the combustion chamber.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

VILLIAM STEPI'IENSON.

Vitnesses OLIVER B. KAISER, EMMA SPENER.

Copies oi this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of. Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

